Here's a answers to a few questions you may have:
Question: Is there a good public transportation system or should we consider renting a car?
Answer: There is plenty of public transportation in Los Angeles (bus system, a clean and easy-to-use subway, taxis). We are big fans of the subway system, and you can take it around Hollywood and Downtown with ease, but it just doesn't reach as many places you may want to visit. Neither Heather nor I are very familiar with the bus system, but from what we've heard, it can take a long time to get to places and they're not known for their comfort.
I would suggest renting a car while in town, especially if you're planning on going around and doing lots of fun, tourist-y things that aren't easy to get to: Disneyland, hitting the Beach, a day trip to San Diego. If you have a portable GPS system to bring, I would suggest bringing it. It will help you get around town. Google maps works just fine, too. We can also help you if you're looking get somewhere - Heather, myself, and most of our friends in LA will be glad to give you directions on where to go.
Question: Speaking of cars, we've heard the stories, how bad is the traffic?
Answer: The traffic isn't great, but it's the same as any other city: rush hour is bad, and the road is always busy, but sometimes, you can get places fast and sometimes, there's traffic for no good reason. Because of the potential of traffic, plan on giving yourself a little more time than google maps or a GPS system may suggest. Oh, and there aren't really speed limits on the freeways that are followed in LA. Stay with the flow of traffic, and you should be fine. Cops rarely pull people over on the freeway for driving fast.
Question: Where's the center of it all in Los Angeles, a "Manhattan of LA," if you will?
Answer: If there's a center of LA, I'm not sure I've found it yet. Los Angeles is spread out unlike any city I know. There's no one area where everyone congregates for fun and adventure. You can find great spots all around. That's why it can take years to get to know the town. Downtown has some great areas (Chinatown, Santee Alley, etc.) and buildings (the Disney Music Hall). Hollywood has the sign and a few points of interest (Grauman's Chinese, the Walk of Fame). The Valley (the San Fernando Valley, that is) has Universal and Warner Brothers Studios and tons of restaurants. Santa Monica, Venice, and Malibu have the beaches. Beverly Hills has the famous shops and beautiful houses. Los Feliz has Heather and I. I could go on and on, but you get the basic idea. There's no one center spot. No matter where you are, you'll probably have to drive to some different points of interest.
Question: What will the weater be like in early May?
Answer: It should be the same as it is 90% of the year, sunny. Early May won't hit 100 degrees, but it could be warm. Most likely, it'll be in the 70's and 80's. One thing to warn you, LA can get a little chilly at night (yes, even for those of you on the East Coast), so be prepared. A sweatshirt or sweater will go a long way at night. On the beach, on the day of the wedding, we are right on the water, so it could get breezy and chilly, especially as the sun goes down. We just wanted to warn you now.
If you have any questions for us, please don't hesitate to email us or post a comment on the blog. We'll keep updating with more and more info as we get closer to the wedding.
